Pilot lamp



June 26, 1934. RUSSELL 1,964,180

PILOT LAMP Filed April 23, 1931 3 Sheets-Sheet l By M (T ATTORNEX June 26, 1934. J. K. RUSSELL PILOT LAMP 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed April 23, 1931 1N VE/VTOR (To/m Jf. Wasscll B Y a w A TTORNEV,

June 26, 1934. J. K. RUSSELL PILOT LAMP Filed April 23. 1931 5 Sheets-Sheet 3 INVENTOR Jzlmlfi l ussell wg x A TTORNE )1 Patented liune 26, 1934- 1 FJNETEB STATES PATENT QFFECE PILOT LAMP John K. Russell, Los Angeles, Calif. t

Application April 23, 1931., Serial No. 532,150

18 Claims. (Cl. 240-625) This invention relates to pilot lamps for motor vehicle to. which it is attached or by other vibravehicles and more particularly to a pilot lamp of tions common to such a vehicle. the dirigible variety wherein the lateral move- Another object i t PIOViEiE nJvsl suppOrting ments of the lamp are controlled by the steermeans for pilot lamps whereby the lamp may be ing apparatus of the vehicle for the purpose of positioned as close to the radiator as practicable 60 directing the light ray from the lamp ahead of so that in parking, automobiles backing into a the vehicle in either direction in which it may be Vehifile Which y p is a c ed Wi l n t turned damage the pilot lamp or its supporting means.

An gbject of th invention i t provide il t A still further object is to provide a lamp of the 1 which 111 be rated by the steering apabove character which is durable in construction, 65 paratus of a vehicle and which will turn to either Simple in Operation, economical to manufacture side upon the turning of the Wheels of the vehicle d which comprises a mu of vi pa ts. and which will thus throw a beam of light to the Other s, van e and features of inright or left of the vehicle, as the case may be, vention y app f m th ac panyin in advance of the path being traveled by the drawings sheets), t e jo ed detailed de- 70 turning 1 scription and the appended claims.

An object of this invention is to provide a pilot The acwmpsl'lyil'lg gs lustrate the inlamp of the dirigible character wherein the op- Vention in a form I at present (186m P a erating of the lamp may be readily and positively Figure 1 is a front elevation of a motor Vehicle controlled by means of connections to the steer- Showing the pilot p a sembled. thereon in nor- 7 5 ing apparatus and wherein the operating elemal Operative positionments are of a very simple and durable charac- 2 is a side elevation of a portion of a GO ter, thus obviating the possibility of the lamp Vehicle, disclosing the pilot a p a tached to becoming jammed during operation either from the fl'ame 0f the Vehicle and the Operating means 5 Worn parts or t t t jarri f t connected to the steering arm thereof.

hicle, and wherein there are a minimum of parts 3 is a p View disclosing the pilot p making for minimum wear and upkeep of the attaFhed P a motor Vehicleanagrams. Fig. 4 is an enlarged detailed elevation of the An Object of my invention is to provide a pilot clamp used to secure the connecting means to the lamp wherein the connecting means between said fl 1 pilot lamp and the vehicle to which it is to be 5; ajlde of same as attached are of an interchangeable character, g m 5 tafin 9 'i 5-5 m thereby providing for ease of assembly of the 6 1s a sectlona'l defined Of.the lamp 0 a which; regardless of the shape or Chap necting elements compilsing the flexible cable F and the connecting rod which extends to the 90 actor of the available parts of the vehicle to which steering apparatus such a lamp may be secured. T

n object of my invention is to provide a pilot 7 1s dlagl amina'tlc Vlew OI the Dust m 1 1 h m Onnacthl means adamable to as assembled on the Iront end of a motor vehlcle i j u frame, disclosing the variable adjustment feabe connected to the steering aim o a mo or tures of the lamp 95 vehicle, and comprising a tensloned clamp there- Fig 8 is a sectional View partly in el evati on of for of simple and durable construction and havth e central suppoitmg member disclosed in Fig. 1 J- '4.- r ing a wide ian ge of adaptability to various sizes, 1 and illustrating herein the var1ous parts comshapes and Iolms of steering apparatus for the prising the same.

Fur-005% of making the Williams m commer Fig. 9 is a cross section view of the supporting 100 cially useful in adapting it to various difierent member, taken at lines in Fig makes and models 0f motor Vehlfiles- Fig. 10 is an elevation of the lamp supporting Anot r Obj of y inveniiisil is to D member, illustrating the exterior portion of the a pilot lamp of the dirigible character wherein cam grooves h rotatable p r supporting h l mp, and. Fig. 11 is a section of a lamp support member, 105

adapted to be operated by connected means, are t k on lines 11-11 in Fig. 10. of such a character that the lamp will be at all Fig. 12 is a fragmental View in elevation of the ti es held stationary realtive to the operating coupling supporting the sliding shoes. connections therefor, and which cannot be va- Fig. 13 is a perspective View of one of the sliding rieol in its relation thereto by the jarring of the shoes. 1 10 Fig. 14 illustrates a modification of the securing means for the lamp to a motor vehicle.

Fig. 15 shows a further modification of the securing means for the lamp to a motor vehicle.

Referring to Fig. 1, the pilot lamp is seen to comprise the lamp housing provided with a lens 21 and mounted upon a bearing or supporting member or housing 22 which is further supported by arms 23 which have brackets 24 con-- meeting said arms to the clamps 25 designed to be attached to a convenient portion of a motor vehicle, such as is disclosed in this figure, comprising a frame cross member 26.

The motor vehicle to which this device is attached, as illustrated in Fig. 1, comprises a frame portion 27 supporting the recited cross member 26 to which the device is secured, and having a front axle 28, wheels 29 and a steering rod 30, such as is shown in Fig. 2, and which is operated by the steering arm 31; Fig. 1 further illustrates a bumper 32 and, as illustrated in Fig. 14, my device may be attached to a bumper, as the bumper 32 illustrated, by a modification of the clamp 25 i to the clamp 33. It may further be modified for application to other types of vehicles, as is illustrated in Fig. 15, wherein a further modification of the clamp 25 is illustrated, by the clamp 34.

It will be noted that each of the clamps 25, 33 and 34 are similar in one respect in that the opening 35, provided in each for receiving the bracket 24, is the same size in all the clamps, and that the arms 23 are sized to fit the opening 35, thus making all of these parts interchangeable for readily adapting them to various types of motor vehicles to which they are to be attached.

By reference to Fig. 8, it will be seen that the lamp housing 20 is secured to a lamp supporting member 36 which is adapted to be assembled into the supporting member 22; the supporting member 22 is herein illustrated as being connected to the supporting arms 23 at either side and having a central vertical passage 37 adapted to receive the lamp support member and allow it to be operated therein, and is further provided at its lower end with a projecting portion 38 adapted to receive the lower end of the sleeve 39, which is retained therein by means of set screws 40, and having a threaded internal chamber 41 adapted to receive a similarly threaded coupling member 42, to which is attached the cable housing 43.

The sleeve 39 is provided with a reduced diameter section extending upwardly from the portion receiving the set screws 40 and has a shoulder 44 adapted to receive a spring washer 45. The sleeve 39 is provided with two slots 46 acting as guideways for the shoes 47; the upper end of the sleeve 39 is tapped to receive screws 43 which are provided for securing the plate 49 thereto.

The lamp supporting member 36 extends downwardly to provide a sleeve shaft 50 having internal cam guideways 51 wherein the recited shoes 47 operate; the shaft 56 is further provided with external bearing members 52 which ride against the inside surface of the recess 3'7 for bearing purposes; the lower end of the shaft 50 is provided with an annular ring 53 which rests against the recited spring washer the upper end of the shaft has an enlarged portion 54 forming a shoulder which rides upon the supporting member 22 and having an annular interior recess 55 adapted to receive the recited plate 49 which, when secured to the sleeve 39, secures the lamp support 36 in operative position as assembled to the supporting member 22.

The shoes 4'7 are rockably supported by the coupling 56 which is secured to the upper end of the flexible cable 5'7 which passes downwardly through the passage 37 and through the cable housing 43 to the point where the cable housing 43 is connected to the side of the frame 2'7 by means of a clamp 58 Where the cable is joined with a slidable rod 59 which extends to the clamp 60 which attaches to the recited steering arm 31.

The rod 5'7 has adjusting means comprising the two locking nuts 61 and the bracket 62, which is secured to the clamp 60 by means of bolt 63 being adjustable in relation to the clamp 60 by means of a series of holes 64 provided for variable connection therewith. The clamp 60 has securing flanges 65 and 66 each provided with several differently positioned holes 67 for receiving the clamping bolts 68, thus providing means for adjusting the clamp to steering arms of various sizes and shapes; clamp 60 has further secured to it the tensioning members 69 which are adapted to contact a side of a steering arm and may be shaped to fit snugly against a side of a steering arm of a different shape from the one illustrated in Fig. 5; one of the tensioning members 69 forms the positioning brace which rests against the connecting means on the arm 31 and rigidly maintains the clamp in a position to provide for the proper travel of the coupling 56 within the sup-- porting member 22.

The pilot lamp device is readily adjustable for adaptability to vehicles as illustrated in Fig. '7, where the height of the lamp above the portion of the vehicle to which it may be secured is shown adjusted by means of the bracket 24, having been raised or lowered to permit the lamp to throw a :1

beam of light over a. bumper or a number plate which might be secured to the front portion of a vehicle and which might obstruct the lamp where it might be most readily secured to the vehicle.

Means for providing electrical current to the lamp for illuminat'ng purposes are disclosed in Fig. l, where the wire '70 is shown passing through the cable housing 43 and the sleeve 39 by means of an opening '71 therein and extended upwardly through an opening '72 in the plate 49 provided for that purpose and on to the lamp housing 20.

It will be observed, by reference to Fig. 6, that I have provided for more readily adapting my apparatus to various types of motor vehicles by utilizing a cable, such as that illustrated at 57 in Fig. 6, of approximately one l ngth sufficient to reach from the pilot lamp to the under side of a motor vehicle frame, such as the frame 27 in Fig. 2, and at that point I attach the cable 57 to a rod 59 which extends to the steering arm 31. being rockably attached to the clamp 60 by means of the bolt 63; the end of the cable housing 43 is shown in Fig. 6 as being secured, by means of set screws '73, to a housing '74, through which extends the cable 5'7 and into which extends one end of the rod 59 where it is secured to the cable 57; the rod and cable have slidable relation within the housing '74, thus preventing the entrance of dirt or water into the cable housing 43.

The operation of the pilot lamp to throw a beam of light directly into the path of the front wheels assuming that the front Wheels are directed forwardly in a straight line, and in this position the coupling 56 in the supporting member 22 rests at approximately the center vertically of the lamp support 36, and assuming that all the several parts of the device are properly assembled, for illustration I will assume that the steering wheel of a motor vehicle is turned to the left, thereby causing the steering arm 31 to be rocked forward, as shown in Fig. 2, thus sliding the cable 57 up into the supporting member 22, thus forcing the coupling 57 upwardly, which will slide the shoes 47 in the cam guideways 51, and thereby cause the lamp supporting member 36 to turn toward the left, assuming the left side of the motor vehicle to be that side as viewed from the drivers seat facing forwardly, and the operation of the steering apparatus having turned the front wheels to the left, therefore the movement of the pilot lamp will correspond directionally with the movement of the wheels.

It will be noted, by referring to Fig. 8, that the coupling 56 rides vertically in guides 46, which are secured to the supporting member 22, and thus upon the reciprocating movement of the coupling 56 and the shoes 47, the shoes 47 force the lamp supporting member 36 to rotate in either direction as they travel vertically along the cam guideways 51 which are spirally constructed, thus causing the rotatable element, constituting the lamp supporting member 36, to be rotated in either direction.

The cam guideways 51 may be made in different inclinations throughout its length, that is to say, the guideway 51 at its extremities or intermediate parts may be gradual or rapid so as to obtain different rates of speed in turnng the pilot lamp. As for example when the steering mechanism is first turned in rounding a corner, the lamp may be rapidly rotated in the direction of travel of the vehicle, and then less rapid operation of the lamp may be effected by further operation of the steering mechanism in the same directon.

Movement of the steering Wheel of a vehicle in either direction will thus automatically move the cable 57 in a direction relative to the movement of the front wheels of the vehicle, and thus by its reciprocating movement within the supporting member 22 rotate the pilot lamp in either direction corresponding to the direction that the front wheels of the vehicle have been moved.

By reference to Figs. 4 and 5, it will be seen that I have provided a clamping device of such a form that it may be readily adapted to conform to the various shapes and szes of steering arms which would be met with in the practice of applying this device to motor vehicles; it will be noted that the flanges and 66 are readily adjustable and, as indicated in Fig. 4, these flanges will be manufactured with the flanges outstanding or flat and they may, therefore, readily be shaped to fit the steering arms and clamped thereabout by means of the proper holes therethrough. I have further provided a means to take up any play on the opposite side of the steering arm from Where the flanges are clamped, and to this end I haveprovided the spring members 59 which may be shaped to rest upon the proper portions of the steering arms. I have further provided adjusting means for controlling the movement of the cable 57 relative to the movement of the steering arms to which it is attached, in view of the fact that steering arms will be of various lengths and also often of such shape that the clamp 60 may of necessity have to be attached at different points in the length of the arms,

and therefore, to maintain a constant length of throw between the fulcrum point of the steering arm and the connection point of the rod 57, I have provided a series of holes in the clamp 60 for the purpose of attaching the rod 59 at a point on the clamp 60 which will maintain the designed throw necessary to move the coupling 56 with n the supporting member 23 to properly rotate the pilot lamp to conform to the movement of the front wheels of a vehicle.

It is to be understood that to reduce the invention to practice, certain modifications will be required in order to adapt the device to be readily assembled to various types of motor vehicles, and to this end I have disclosed certain modifications of the attaching means, namely, in Figs. 2, l4 and 15, and I have further provided that the supporting arms 23, best illustrated in Fig. 1, are adapted to be engaged by either the brackets 24 or the clamps 25, thus providing a readily convertible means for assembling the device on various types of motor vehicles; such modifications as are essential to reduce the invention to commercial practice will be readily understood by one versed in the art and such modifications will be made as will come within the spirit of the appended claims.

I claim:

1. A pilot lamp comprising a supporting member housing the operating means for rotating the lamp, supporting arms connecting said supporting member to convenient parts of a motor vehicle, an actuating element comprising a slidable fiexble cable, having one end secured to the steering apparatus of a vehicle by a unitary tensioned clamp, and having the other end slidably engaged to said operating means within said supporting member, and being supported by'a casing secured at one end to said supporting member and having the other end secured to a convenient point on the vehicle frame, thus providing an operating cable slidably housed and operable by said steering apparatus; means within said supporting member to transform the slidable movement of the said cable to rotary oscillatable movement for said lamp includng shoes carried by said cable having slidable relation within spiral cam grooves which form a part of said operating means; and guide means to cause said shoes to travel in one path to cause sa d cam grooves to rotate the lamp.

2. A pilot lamp comprising, a lamp, a reflector and a housing therefor, a supporting member including, spirally engaging elements adapted to control the position of said lamp rotatively while said lamp is supported in fixed vertical position by one of said engaging elements; and means to operate said elements to rotate said lamp so that the rays from said lamp will be moved in a horizontal arc.

3. A pilot lamp comprising a supporting member and spirally engaging elements operating within vertical guides to control the lateral rotatable position of said lamp, one of said engaging elements supporting said lamp in a fixed position.

4. A pilot lamp comprising a supporting member having spirally engaging elements; stationary vertical guides within which one of said engaging elements reciprocates to rotate a second engaging element forming a support for a lamp to maintain the lamp in a fixed vertical position; a lamp on said support and operating means comprising a flexible cable movable longitudinally of its own length to operate said reciprocating member to rotate said lamp.

5. A pilot lamp comprising a supporting member having spirally engaging elements one of said engaging elements forming a lamp support member; a lamp on said support member; stationary vertical guides within which one of said engaging elements is adapted to operate to rotate said lamp support member with a rotative non-vertical movement; operating means comprising a flexible cable movable longitudinally of its own length; and means to operatively connect one end of said cable to said engaging elements.

6. In a pilot lamp a main supporting member, a lamp supporting element rotatable in said main supporting member and having a permanent vertical position, a stationary guide member interrelated with said lamp supporting element, an actuating member including a reciprocating member secured to one end of a slidable flexible connection to the steering apparatus of a vehicle adapted to actuate said lamp supporting-element for horizontal rotating purposes.

'7. In a pilot lamp a main supporting member, a rotatable lamp supporting element in said main supporting member, a lamp on said element rotatable only in a'horizontal plane, a stationary guide member within said lamp supporting element, a reciprocating actuating member within said guide member operated by a slidable flexible connection from the steering apparatus of a vehicle adapted to rotate said lamp.

8. A pilot lamp comprising a stationary main support, a bearing member associated therewith, a lamp support rotatably mounted in said bear ing member and held in an established vertical position by said bearing member, spiral cam grooves in said lamp support, a stationary guide member secured to said main bearing member within said lamp support; and a reciprocating element adapted to operate through said guide member in said cam grooves to rotate said lamp support.

9. A pilot lamp comprising a main support member, a stationary bearing member associated therewith, a lamp support rotatably mounted in said main support member, said bearing member internally supporting said lamp support in a fixed vertical position, spiral cam grooves in said lamp support, a stationary guide member secured to said bearing member within said lamp support; and a reciprocating element operatively associated with said lamp support through said guide member.

10. A pilot lamp comprising a supporting member housing the operating means for rotating a lamp, means adapted to connect said supporting member to a motor vehicle, a lamp rotatably mounted relative to said supporting member, an actuating element comprising a slidable flexible cable adapted to have one end secured to the steering apparatus of a vehicle and having its other end slidably connected to said operating means within said supporting member; and means within said supporting member to transform the slidable movement of said cable to rotary oscillatable movement for said lamp.

11. A pilot lamp comprising a supporting member housing the operating means for rotating a lamp, means adapted to connect said supporting member to a motor vehicle, a lamp rotatably mounted relative to said supporting member, an actuating element comprising a slidable flexible cable adapted to have one end secured to the steering apparatus of a vehicle and have its other end slidably connected to said operating means Within said supporting member, means within said supporting member to transform the slidable movement of said cable to rotary oscillatable movement for said lamp, including means carried by said cable having slidable relation Within grooves which form a part of said operating means; and guide means to cause said means carried by said cable to travel in one path to cause said grooves to rotate the lamp.

-12. A pilot lamp comprising a lamp, a housing member adapted to be connected to an automobile, a sleeve fixed to and within said housing, a sleeve shaft extending from said lamp Within said housing and rotatably mounted relative to said sleeve, a flexible cable adapted to have one end connected to the steering apparatus of an automobile and having a cross-head at its other end slidably mounted in said housing; and means connected to said cross-head and operatively connected to said sleeve and said sleeve shaft whereby reciprocal movement of said cross-head will be transformed to rotary oscillatable movement for said sleeve shaft.

13. A pilot lamp comprising a housing, a lamp having a sleeve shaft extending therefrom into and being rotatably mounted relative to said housing, a sleeve fixed to and extending into said housing, means to prevent longitudinal movement of said sleeve shaft relative to said sleeve, means adapted to be connected to the steering mechanism of an automobile and including a member in said housing; and means connected to said sleeve shaft and member whereby reciprocal movement of said member will be transformed to rotate said lamp horizontally.

14. A lamp comprising a supporting member housing the operating means for rotating a lamp, means adapted to connect said sup porting member to a motor vehicle, a lamp rotatably mounted relative to said supporting member, an actuating element comprising a slidable flexible cable having one end slidably connected to said operating means within said supporting member; and means Within said supporting member to transform the slidable movement of said cable to rotary oscillatable movement for said lamp.

15. A lamp comprising a supporting member housing the operating means for rotating a lamp, means adapted to connect said supportingmember to a motor vehicle, a lamp rotatably mounted relative to said supporting member, an actuating element comprising a slidable flexible cable slidaby connected to said operating means within said supporting member, means within said supporting member to transform the slidable movement of said cable to rotary oscillatable movement for said lamp, including means carried by said cable having slidable relation within grooves which form a part of said operating means; and guide means-to cause said means carried by said cable to travel in one path to cause said grooves to rotate the lamp.

16. A lamp comprising a housing member adapted to be connected to an automobile, a sleeve fixed to and within said housing, a sleeve shaft extending from said lamp within said housing and rotatably mounted relative to said sleeve, a flexible cable having a cross-head at one end slidably mounted in said housing; and means connected to said cross-head and operatively connected to said sleeve and said sleeve shaft whereby reciprocal movement of said crosshead will be transformed to rotary oscillatable movementfor said sleeve shaft.

17'. A lamp comprising a housing, a lamp having a sleeve shaft extending therefrom into and being rotatably mounted relative to said housing, a sleeve fixed toand extending into said housing, means to prevent longitudinalr'ndve ment of saidsleeve shaft relative to said sleeve,- means including a member in said housing; and

means connected to said sleeve' shaft and member whereby reciprocal movement of said member Will be transformed to rotate said lamp hori-- zontally'. 

